Fire drills

Fire drills

The Ontario Fire Code requires all buildings to conduct fire drills at minimum annually.

According to the University of Toronto Governing Council Policy on Crisis and Routine Emergency Preparedness and Response, all persons occupying space controlled by the University of Toronto are subject to emergency procedures, which includes evacuating a building or area upon activation of an alarm during a drill.

During the fire drills, the Fire Prevention team assesses the readiness of the fire alarm systems and emergency exiting provisions.

Everyone’s participation is critical to test each building’s evacuation procedures and exiting, as well as identify and address potential issues—under full occupancy conditions.

Frequency of fire drills

The Ontario Fire Code mandates a different fire drill frequency for different building types:

  • Monthly for daycares
  • Thrice per semester for schools
  • Every three months for buildings taller than 18 metres

All other buildings are required to conduct annual fire drills.

How this may impact you

Mandatory evacuation fire drills on campus are scheduled in August and September.

The day before a fire drill, notices are posted at the buildings’ main entrances(s). Heavy rain or other inclement weather may result in a fire drill being rescheduled.

During a fire drill, the building fire alarm system will typically sound for up to 15 minutes.

Everyone inside a building during a fire drill must evacuate according to the fire evacuation procedures.

Evacuation procedures

The purpose of a mandatory evacuation fire drill is to practice the emergency evacuation procedures as though in a real fire emergency.

The building must be fully evacuated in three to five minutes.

When the fire alarm sounds, everyone in the building:

  • Must never ignore or assume the alarm is false or a test
  • Must turn off all equipment before evacuating, if applicable
  • Must exit the building using the nearest and safest exit or stairway
  • Must never use the elevators
  • Must close (but not lock) all doors behind you
  • Must move away from the building and not obstruct fire department access
  • Must not re-enter the building until advised
    • In the event of a fire, the Fire Department has the authority over the emergency scene and would advise occupants if and when a re-entry is safe
  • Should take valuables with you (e.g., purses, jackets, keys)

When the fire alarm sounds, faculty, and managers:

  • Are responsible for evacuating students and staff using the nearest and safest exit
  • Must remind students and staff of the evacuation procedures
  • Must ensure all equipment is turned off prior to evacuating the building (e.g., Bunsen burners, machines, kitchen stoves)

Procedure for those requiring assistance to evacuate

When the fire alarm sounds:

  • If you’re on the ground floor, exit as you normally would
  • If you’re above or below the ground floor, stay where you are.
    • In the event of a fire, staying in place will assist the Fire Department to evacuate you, if required

Read the complete fire emergency procedures.

Schedule

Annual fire drills and mandatory evacuations on the St. George campus took place in August and September 2023.

Fire drills for buildings taller than 18 metres, daycares, and schools are scheduled directly with building occupants by your fire prevention officer.

Building name and codeScheduled fire drill
Borden Building South (061)August 10, 2023
Borden Building North (061A)August 10, 2023
Koffler House (145)August 10, 2023
Graduate Students’ Union (056)August 10, 2023
Bancroft Building (057)August 10, 2023
Central Steam Plant (018)August 11, 2023
Physical Geography Building (027)August 11, 2023
Simcoe Hall (010)August 11, 2023
Convocation Hall (010A)August 11, 2023
Communications House (092)August 11, 2023
Rotman School of Management (134)August 11, 2023
J. Robert S. Prichard Alumni House (019)August 14, 2023
McCaul Street-263 (156)August 14, 2023
C. David Naylor Building (011)August 14, 2023
McMurrich Building (004)August 14, 2023
Canadiana Gallery (047)August 14, 2023
McCaul Street-254/256 (083)August 14, 2023
St. George Street-123 (088)August 16, 2023
Innis College (132)August 16, 2023
McDonald-Mowat House (172)August 17, 2023
School of Graduate Studies (043)August 17, 2023
School of Contuing Studies (SCS) (103)August 17, 2023
St. George Street-162 (106)August 17, 2023
Enrolment Services (127)August 17, 2023
Varsity Centre (030A)August 18, 2023
Varsity Pavilion (041)August 18, 2023
Cumberland House (026)August 21, 2023
Huron Street-215 (067)August 21, 2023
Gage Building (082)August 21, 2023
Koffler Student Services Centre (143)August 21, 2023
Sussex Court (077)August 22, 2023
Spadina Avenue-703 (125)August 22, 2023
North West Chiller Plant (122)August 22, 2023
Sussex Avenue-40 (146)August 22, 2023
Fasken Building (151)August 22, 2023
John P. Robarts Library Building (006)August 25, 2023
Claude T. Bissell Building (006A)August 25, 2023
Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library Building (006B)August 25, 2023
Robarts Common (006C)August 25, 2023
Sandford Fleming Building (009)September 8, 2023
Galbraith Building (070)September 8, 2023
Wallberg Building (008)September 8, 2023
D.L. Pratt Building (008A)September 8, 2023
Electrometallurgy Lab (093)September 8, 2023
Medical Sciences Building (005)September 11, 2023
Gerstein Science Information Centre in the Sigmund Samuel Library Building (003)September 11, 2023
Exam Centre (155)September 11, 2023
Bahen Centre for Information Technology (BCIT) (080)September 13, 2023
Mechanical Engineering Building (022)September 13, 2023
Engineering Annex (021)September 13, 2023
Haultain Building (024)September 13, 2023
MyHal Centre for Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CEIE) (087)September 13, 2023
Student Commons (028)September 14, 2023
Fields Institute for Research in Math Science (105)September 14, 2023
Astronomy & Astrophysics Building (036)September 14, 2023
Anthropology Building (079)September 14, 2023
McLennan Physical Laboratories (078)September 14, 2023
Earth Sciences Centre (062)September 15, 2023
Clara Benson Building (068)September 15, 2023
Warren Stevens Building (068A)September 15, 2023
Ramsay Wright Laboratories (072)September 15, 2023
Lash Miller Chemical Laboratories (073)September 15, 2023
Sidney Smith Hall (033)September 18, 2023
Woodsworth College (038)September 18, 2023
University College Union (023)September 18, 2023
Luella Massey Studio Theatre (091)September 18, 2023
Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy at the Observatory (089)September 19, 2023
Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (111)September 19, 2023
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) (123)September 19, 2023
Jackman Humanities Building (128)September 19, 2023
Health Sciences Building (154)September 20, 2023
Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular Research (160)September 20, 2023
Lassonde Mining Building (007)September 21, 2023
Leslie L. Dan Pharmacy Building (161)September 21, 2023
Banting Institute (016)September 21, 2023
Dentistry Building (065)September 22, 2023
Rehabilitation Sciences Building (152)September 22, 2023
Faculty Club (075)September 22, 2023
Faculty of Law (040)September 27, 2023
Falconer Hall (050)September 27, 2023
Edward Johnson Building (051)September 27, 2023
Wellesley Street West-90 (098B)September 27, 2023
Wellesley Street West-90 (098C)September 27, 2023
Aerospace Building (049)September 28, 2023
UTL at Downsview (149)September 28, 2023
University College (001)October 10, 2023

Stay in the loop with service alerts

Facilities & Services issues alerts for service interruptions on campus, including fire drills. Subscribe to receive service alerts.

Questions

For questions about fire drills or building evacuations, please contact your fire prevention officer.